225 ELDM failure on elk shoulder

[WesternHntr]

This season has been eye opening for me in terms of LR bullets failing to perform well on elk (specifically shoulder shots)
I had a really bad personal experience with the 215 Berger on a bull at 680 yards, and also spoke with a hunter who had a 300 grain Berger blow up at 775 yards on an elk shoulder. He tracked his bull down the next day and finished him off while I was packing mine out.
I got some really ridiculous comments from those who didn't want to hear about my experience, so what the hell... I'll share another

Last week my buddy shot his bull at 700 yards with a 225 eldm.
He had a quartering forward shot before the bull was about to hit the timber, and he took the shot aiming at the shoulder for what should have been a good angle right to the vitals.
The bullet completely splattered on the shoulder bone and did not make it through.
He got him eventually but what a total mess!
I've taken the same shot at a bull with a 140 partition and it broke that leg bone, passed completely through, and broke the opposite leg bone as well

I'm done hunting with none bonded bullets!
I'm open to suggestions if anyone has a recommendation.
Currently looking at the 200 grain Edge TLR, and maybe the 210 Accubond LR.
Here's a pic of the 225 shoulder mess

 

[PNWGATOR]

Have you looked into the Hammer bullets?

 

[fletcherchip]

I use a 338 rem mag. Using a 200 grain trophy bonded tip. My elk from last year at 417 yards went down like a ton of bricks. Love the bullet. Here is what I pulled out of the opposite shoulder.

 

[Kotaman]

My experience with the AB LR is that it is MORE explosive than the ELDM, so if you don't like the ELDM, you aren't gonna like the AB LR.

 

[OSU Fisher]

My experience with the AB LR is that it is MORE explosive than the ELDM, so if you don't like the ELDM, you aren't gonna like the AB LR.

I second this comment! We left them in favor of Berger and ELD's

 

[NoWiser]

You can't really blame the bullet. Those weren't designed to take on elk shoulders. If you need to take those shots I'd recommend a copper bullet like a Barnes. I've had zero issues with those regardless of shot placement.

 

[EastMT]

My experience with the AB LR is that it is MORE explosive than the ELDM, so if you don't like the ELDM, you aren't gonna like the AB LR.

Absolutely, @400 yards exploded before bone for me, no ABLR for me.


I have yet to be begin to procrastinate.

 

[Jake Larsen]

Had similar experiences, as well as with bergers (I know some guys will completely disagree, but I'm just relaying what I've seen) I won't look at anything that's not bonded now. I shoot a 300 win mag, the federal trophy bonded is a sick option. Better BC than the partitions as well.

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[dirtytough]

I'm not surprised. I shot a bull with the 225 ELD M this year. Impact velocity was about 2000 fps and it only retained 142 grains.

I know a lot of guys really like the ELD M line of bullets for hunting. But I am not a fan after using the 180 ELD and the 225 ELD.

 

[WesternHntr]

Have you looked into the Hammer bullets?

Yeah checking into those as well as the cutting edge MTH line, the price sucks a little since I like to put a few hundred rounds a year through my hunting rifle..

You can't really blame the bullet. Those weren't designed to take on elk shoulders. If you need to take those shots I'd recommend a copper bullet like a Barnes. I've had zero issues with those regardless of shot placement.

That's my whole point...
These ultra high BC bullets are designed for target shooting not punching through an elk shoulder.
I'm thinking seriously about copper bullets that are designed to expand at LR

My experience with the AB LR is that it is MORE explosive than the ELDM, so if you don't like the ELDM, you aren't gonna like the AB LR.

Thanks for the heads up on the ABLR guys,
I'll go ahead and skip that one for sure

 

[zpooch]

Maybe stop shooting shoulders if you choose those bullets

 

[vermeire]

Yeah checking into those as well as the cutting edge MTH line, the price sucks a little since I like to put a few hundred rounds a year through my hunting rifle..

That's my whole point...
These ultra high BC bullets are designed for target shooting not punching through an elk shoulder.
I'm thinking seriously about copper bullets that are designed to expand at LR

Thanks for the heads up on the ABLR guys,
I'll go ahead and skip that one for sure

Well they are called ELD MATCH... They do make ELD EXPANDING bullets too.

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[Jake Larsen]

Well they are called ELD MATCH... They do make ELD EXPANDING bullets too.

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I've seen basically the same result from an ELDX. If you look at the way the bullet is actually put together, there's a reason bullets like the nosler partition, interlock, or the federal trophy bonded have the reputation they do above these hybrid match/hunting type controlled expansion bullets.

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[Vandy321]

Didnt get the results you wanted out of the 5 pages of your last "berger failure post"...so here we go again?

 

[Kenn]

How about using bullets that are made for hunting AND practice some stalking techniques?

 

[Jake Larsen]

Case in point, my brother shot a nice bull elk at 250 yards last week. 129gr hornady interlock, out of a .260. Shot was heavy quartering to, he shot it right through the point of the shoulder, dead center on the knuckle. The core of that bullet put a hole right through his heart, and ended up under the skin on his rear flank. I wouldn't have trusted my 300 win mag to do that with any of those hybrid bullets

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[Vandy321]

Do you eat soup with a fork and complain when it spills?


I'm switching to Hammer bullets next year as well, for the record. I just get a kick out of these posts.

 

[Deplorable77]

The op posts his experiences with photos and asks for help with recommendations on future loads and still some want to use this thread bash the guy. Really classy, and an excellent way to support a fellow outdoorsman.
Maybe the op should start kicking his deer to death?

 

[4ester]

Maybe stop shooting shoulders if you choose those bullets

Exactly. Why intentionally try to ruin a bunch of meat by taking that shot?

I understand that when shooting long range that stuff happens (heck even up close), but kinda sounds like you are trying to break bones with fragile bullets. If I was intentionally trying to drive it through an elk shoulder I’d use a bonded bullet for sure.

FYI.... I’ve taken probably a dozen elk and a few mule deer with the Berger 210 vld, aiming right behind the shoulder. They don’t go far.


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[Short Track]

You didn't loose the animal, so be happy. Anything in the path of a bullet is going to be destroyed.